San Diego, CA. IPC APEX EXPO convenes this week in San Diego, where vendors including Aegis, Agilent, ASTER, Diagnosys, GE, GOEPEL, JTAG Technologies, Seica, and YESTECH will exhibit a variety of printed-circuit-board and assembly test and inspection systems.

Visit our complete show wrap-up here.

Update, Sunday: IPC president and CEO John Mitchell emphasizes members' technical and financial success, cites initiatives ranging from technology and training to compliance with ITAR and conflict minerals regulations. Click here for more

Update, Friday, 1:30 p.m. ET: Having first launched its X3 inline inspection system in Europe in November 2011, Munich-based MatriX Technologies this week introduced its inline inspection systems to the U.S. market at IPC APEX EXPO. The company also highlighted a new system—the XCT-1000S—in its CT portfolio. Click here for more.

Update, Thursday 2:30 a.m. PT: JOT Automation, a supplier of production and test systems for the telecom, electronics, automotive, aerospace, and advanced life science industries, has launched its all in one automated solution for handset final testing.

JOT G3, an enhancement to its JOT G2.5 predecessor, enables fully automatic test of handsets' user interface in a repeatable environment. The single platform can execute multiple tests and enables fully automated examination of mechanical, RF, electrical, audio, and visual interfaces of handsets.

The company also highlighted its M5 board test system, which provides a shielded RF environment that can serve in test applications ranging from development through manufacturing.

Update, Wednesday 8 p.m. PT: The automobile has a bright future, but significant reinvention will be a key to that future, according to Dr. Larry Burns, Professor of Engineering at the University of Michigan and director of the Program for Sustainable Mobility at Columbia University. Presenting a keynote address to attendees of IPC APEX EXPO, Dr. Burns, former vice president of research and development and strategic planning at General Motors, charted the history of the automobile and extrapolated from that history into the future. Click here for more.

Update, Wednesday 4 a.m. PT: Agilent Technologies formally launched its Agilent x1149 boundary-scan analyzer—a versatile board-test tool designed to help users through board design and validation; they can reusing the same x1149 test in manufacturing. Boon Khim Tan, general manager for Agilent’s Measurement Systems Division, said that indeed the focus is on manufacturing, with the x1149 offering a user interface that can provide test results in a format similar to what operators expect in a manufacturing environment. Click here for more.

Tan said a key Agilent emphasis is on increasing automation to help offset rising labor costs even in traditionally low-labor-cost regions. On display along with the x1149 boundary-scan analyzer were low-cost Medalist i1000D in-circuit testers as well as an inline Medalist i3070 system fully integrated with a handler. NK Chari, director of marketing and support for the Measurement Systems Division, said the fully integrated i3070 system is undergoing beta evaluation.

Chari also said Agilent has also developed a PXI-based functional test system for automotive applications, although that system was not on display at APEX. He said the new system offers 30% improvement in throughput compared with a previous system.

Update, Tuesday 11:30 a.m. PT: APEX keynoter Dr. Michio Kaku says term “computer” will vanish from our vocabulary. Click here for more.

Visit our complete show wrap-up here.

As of Sunday, companies had announced these highlights:

Agilent Technologies will demonstrate its latest boundary-scan analyzer plus inline in-circuit and functional test systems. The company is expected to announce a new PXI functional test system.
GOEPEL electronic will highlight PicoTAP Designer Studio, a complete entry-level boundary-scan test system including hardware and software.
Nordson YESTECH will feature the new high-speed FX SL AOI inspection system for populated printed circuit boards at IPC APEX EXPO. In addition, the company will conduct live demonstrations of its complete line of AOI and AXI inspection systems.
Aegis Software will launch its all new FactoryLogix suite. The company says FactoryLogix, built from the ground-up as an adaptive, multimarket implementation of MES.
ASTER Technologies will highlight a new release of TestWay in support of “Design for Excellence” (DfX) strategies.
Diagnosys will demonstrate its new Data Capture Pod, a fast and efficient tool for generating functional test programs boards and components.
GE Measurement & Control will highlight a new 3D CT option for GE’s phoenix x|aminer microfocus X-ray inspection system.
JTAG Technologies will demonstrate a Power Management Bus (PMBus) IC programming tool that supports devices from Linear Technology and Texas Instruments.
Seica Inc. will exhibit the Pilot V8 flying prober, the Firefly laser selective soldering system, and the Compact TK functional and in-circuit test system.

And among the IPC APEX EXPO special events is an opening keynote by Dr. Michio Kaku, who will kick off the show by exploring life and technology in the year 2100. Other keynote presentations feature former General Motors executive Dr. Larry Burns on “Reinventing the Automobile” and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) chief engineer B. Gentry Lee recapping the “Journey to Mars: Curiosity Rover Mission.”